Comedian Lee Hwi Jae is planning to enter Korea’s amateur soccer league, K3, next year. A source said that Lee wants to try playing on a bigger stage before it’s too late. Lee currently plays on a celebrity soccer team as well as a celebrity baseball team.

Entertainer Bi (aka Rain), Seoul mayor Oh Se Hoon, and soccer player Park Ji Sung kicked off the ‘Infinitely Yours, Seoul’ charity event on July 23 at Hangang Citizen’s Park. Along with members of Manchester United, Bi and Park Ji Sung lent their star power for a charity event. Youth from Boys Town, a Catholic-run youth centre, were invited to participate in a soccer clinic run by Park Ji Sung, Gary Neville, Dimitar Beratov, Johnny Evans, and others. A charity bazaar for children’s organizations was held shortly after, with signed memorabilia and Bi’s Six to Five collection up for grabs.

Bi, Oh Se Hoon, Park Ji Sung

Viewers will see Korea’s 2002 World Cup star Ahn Jung Hwan shake hands with Joo Jin Mo on the first episode of Dream. However, the two actually never filmed together. The drama crew photoshopped images of various professional athletes to appear as if they were entering a contract with Nam Je Il (Joo Jin Mo’s character), who is Korea’s top sports agent. Dream premieres on July 27 on SBS.

Ahn Jung Hwan & Joo Jin Mo photoshopped

Bi held ‘2009 Rain’s Global Fan Meeting in Seoul’ for 3000 fans on July 26. With the concept of ‘Rain Theater’, close friend Kim Je Dong hosted the event. Kim Tae Woo (g.o.d) was the featured guest. Members of Bi’s fan club, the Clouds, also prepared a cake and a pile of presents to belatedly celebrate his 27th birthday.

Bi (Rain) and his former management, JYP Entertainment, have been ordered by court to pay up $8 million US to Click Entertainment for cancelling his Honolulu concert in 2007. Both defendants released statements saying that they are surprised by the unexpected outcome and are planning to appeal the decision.

Actor Park Hae Jin (East of Eden) returned safely on March 18 from his volunteer trip to Africa with fellow East of Eden-er Cho Min Ki. Park said during the experience, “Before [I could be struck with] any sense of value and duty, feelings of regret that I had never known until now are strangling me.”

Park Hae Jin in Africa

Hwang Jung Min and Kim A Joong have been cast as the leads of upcoming KBS drama Six Months (식스먼스). This will be Hwang’s first drama project, and Kim’s first TV role since Bizarre Woman, Bizarre Man (별난여자 별난남자) wrapped three years ago. The drama creators have expressed confidence that Hwang and Kim’s respective star power will attract high numbers of viewers. Six Months will be about a postal office employee (Hwang) and top celebrity (Kim) who fall in love with each other. Other members of the cast include Lee Chung Ah (Chosun Police 2), Baek Sung Hyun (Kokkiri), Joo Sang Wook (Chun Ja’s Special Day), and Kim Gwang Gyu (The Secret of Keu Keu Island). The mini-series will be broadcast on Wednesday and Thursday evenings beginning in May.

Six Months - leads Hwang Jung Min and Kim A Joong

A representative from Lee Hyun Woo’s agency confirmed that the singer and his new wife are expecting a child in late October. The couple found out about the pregnancy after returning from their honeymoon.

J.Tune Entertainment announced today that “Creating a Bright World” project was established in cooperation with Eye & Eye Clinic Center in Gangnam. They will provide complimentary treatment for some of Bi’s fans who cannot afford treatment for vision problems. Those eligible to apply are Bi’s official fan club members (called the Clouds), their family members, candidates recommended by Clouds, and any other Bi fans. Information on how to apply can be found on Rain’s official website. Two candidates will be selected to receive surgery each month.

The agency stated, “Beginning with this project, there are plans to increasingly offer a variety of services to Bi’s fans.”

Bi left for Berlin on the 14 of this month for post-production work on Ninja Assassin, to premiere later this year.

KP’s note: Whew! So many bits of information, this post should be called Maximix instead of Minimix. Minimix will be a regular feature on KPculture to summarize some of the most recent Korean entertainment news you may be interested in. Check out Minimix 1 if you missed it.

2/8- 2/10

Ju Ji Hun’s star power is being credited for Don Juan‘s strong ticket sales. Although the show began on February 6, Ju’s first show will be on the 12. All of the good seats for his first performance were sold out within ten minutes of being available. Fans are even coming from Japan to catch his live performance as Don Juan, and as a bonus, check out his movie Kitchen in theatres.

Ju Ji Hun in Don Juan

Kim Myung Min’s manager stated in an interview that Kim Myung Min’s original weight was approximately 70-72 kilograms. However, he lost 5 kilograms since starting to film My Love By My Side; in April, he plans to lose 5 more; and then he will be given two weeks off to lose 10 more by the end of filming. This is to coincide with his deteriorating health (due to Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in the movie. The manager claimed that “these days, [Kim Myung Min] eats only two spoonfuls per meal”.

Kim Suna will be in the two-episode After the Wedding (결온식 후에), which will reunite her with PD Kim Yoon Chul four years after their hit drama, My Name is Kim Sam Soon. The plot will be about six former university club members who meet 15 years later at a wedding. (Update: Kim Suna is no longer part of the segment.)

The above-stated project is part of the massive joint Korean-Japanese telecinema production involving eight Korean directors, seven Japanese writers, and a multitude of actors to create nine or ten different segments (stories). Han Hyo Joo and Kim Jae Joong’s Heaven’s Postman is one segment of the production. Lee Soo Kyung, Ahn Jae Wook, and Kang Hye Jung have recently been confirmed to begin filming mid-February for another part, called Triangle. Cha In Pyo will star in the part A Stone’s Dream (돌멩이의 꿈), which also begins filming this month. KP’s note: More information will follow in a separate post on the project.

Singer Se7en’s digital single has been pushed back to debut in both Korea and the States in early March, rather than on February 14. The song is “Girls”, which features Lil’ Kim and was produced by Dark Child (who has worked with Michael Jackson and Britney Spears). YG Entertainment stated that they require more time for practice and pre-debut promotional activities. After the debut, Se7en will spend three to four months on promoting himself in the U.S., and then head to Korea to continue promotions.

Lee Jun Ki will be featured as a guest on the debut album of singer Sori. He will be heard rapping on her song “Pinky Finger”. In related news, Kwon Soon Ok, (famous in his own right, but also as BoA’s older brother), directed the music video for another one of her songs. Both the music video and album will debut on February 19.

Sori

Ivy has been credited as the lyricist for SNSD’s song, “Dear Mom”. She wrote the lyrics at the request of her boyfriend Kim Tae Sung (composer for many SM artists). It was later revealed that she was also wrote the song “The Final Gift” (“마지막 선물”) on boyband SHINee’s debut album. Credits on both songs call the lyricist “The Lighthouse” rather than Ivy or her real name, Park Eun Hye. This is being hailed as her comeback, as Ivy has been off of the public radar since late 2007, when she was bombarded with negative publicity from several “scandals”.

Visitors of Kwon Sang Woo and Sohn Tae Young’s baby are declaring that he is a beautiful baby who looks just like his father. The couple has yet to decide on the baby’s name, so they are still calling him “Rookie“.

Bi will go by the identity of The Rain in America, due to the trademark infringement complaint filed by Rain Corporation in February 2007 for his use of the name Rain. However, they have agreed (outside of court) that he may go simply by the name Rain abroad and in his acting activities. In related news, Bi will soon head to court in Hawaii to settle matters with Click Entertainment, who has sued him for $40 million USD for cancelling his June 2007 concerts. At the time, the reason given for cancellation was that Bi could not perform due to the trademark issue.